Owners:
 | Deborah
Messinger-May - Deborah’s been dancing since age 4. She’s
danced with the San Francisco Ballet Co. & the Bolshoi Ballet Co. from
Russia when they performed in Portland. She toured extensively in jazz &
tap variety shows & dinner theatre shows. She lived in Los Angeles for a
couple of years & danced in TV commercials. She’s owned and operated
Deborah Messinger School of Dance, first in Beaverton, OR and then in Gresham,
OR for 36 years. Her Gresham school now has 400 students & is well
known for its many top awards at local & regional competitions. Since
then, she has opened up two other booming studios plus one more that just opened this past February. Many of her students are
now professional dancers & teachers. |
Tara
Marshall – Tara has studied dance under Deborah for 27
years– she’s almost her daughter by this time!. She’s the studio manager
& head instructor at DMSD. She’s taught many girls who have gone on to
be teachers or professional dancers themselves. Also, she has won
numerous choreography awards in local & regional dance competitions.
She is also head of our performing groups. She was the leader of a group
of our students who, in 1999, we were invited to perform at the World Trade Expo. In
Korea.. Students of all ages love “Miss Tara”!!! Teaches at: Washougal, Stevenson, Gresham and Stevenson Locations |  |
Instructors:
 | Kayla Schwindt – Kayla has studied at DMSD in all the dance forms
since she was 4 years. old and she was also a cheerleader throughout high school. She’s graduated from Portland State
University & is now working as an educational assistant for the Centennial School District. She also works at SUN School (an after school program) in the Centennial School District. Miss Kayla loves the
little ones & it’s obvious in her caring approach. Teaches at: Gresham Location |
Kayla Pekkala – Kayla attends The Art Institute of Portland for Apparel Design and started dancing when she was 3 years old. She’s studied many forms of dance, including hip hop, jazz, tap, Hawaiian, Tahitian, modern and ballet. She has also competed in many dance competitions. Kayla has also volunteered her time in the community, teaching dance to teenagers at a local middle school. She’s loved by all her students. We’re sure that if you sign up for one of her classes, you’ll love her too! Teaches at: Washougal Location |  |
 | Teaches at: Stevenson Location |
Terre Bluse – Terre began taking ballet at the age of 7 from Patricia Cairns in Tacoma, WA. Miss Cairns was a graduate & certified teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance in London where she grew up. Terre began dancing on pointe at a very early age due to her strength and exceptional technique. She continued her dancing on & of along w/Varsity sports throughout high school. She then auditioned for acceptance into the prestigious Cornish Institute of Fine Arts in Seattle where she danced with the Cornish Dance Theatre for 3 yrs. She graduated from Cornish in 1983 & went on to New York City where she studied with the world-renowned ballet instructor, Finis Jhung. Next summer, Terre plans to go back to school to finish a few needed credits to get her BFA in Dance and then go for her Masters of Art in Education. Teaches at: Stevenson Location |  |
 | Chelsea Utecht- Chelsea has studied under Miss Kristen for the last 6 yrs. She's proficient in jazz, hip-hop & lyrical. She's a wonderful & FUN teacher for our young ones & our beginner dancers of all ages. This fall she will be attending Clark Community College. Teaches at: Ridgefield Location |
Kendra Simon- Kendra is a very “multi-talented” person! Dance is her main focus but she also sings in a rock band, she’s a kick-boxer & a martial artist. She’s also studied a lot of theater. She’s been teaching dance for about 12 years but is new to us this summer. She also has experience in dance-studio management. Kendra brings a fresh & exciting amount of experience to all of her classes. When you take her class, we’re sure you’ll agree! Teaches at: Washougal, Ridgefield and Stevenson Locations |  |
 | Brianna Whithorn- She has been involved in performing arts since the age of 2. For 13 years, she was a part of of dance performance group called "The Sunshine Generation," and later "Pure Energy," where she assisted in teaching, as well as performing Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Lyrical. Since April 2008, she have also been greatly involved in the Portland dance scene, where she does Lindy Hop, Charleston, East Coast Swing and Balboa. Dancing is a major passion of hers, and she excited to share that passion! Teaches at: Washougal and Ridgefield Locations |
Trisha Turner- Trisha has been dancing since before she can remember, at age four she started dancing at her first studio. This is where she realized her passion for dance. She danced in varies studios until she was eighteen years old, while also dancing on her high school dance team during the four years she attended. She has been dancing long enough to get the chance to learn many styles of dance such as Ballet, Lyrical,Jazz, Hip hop, Modern, Hawaiian, Tap and Prop. In her past experience with dance she has been a student, a teacher, an assistant and a volunteer at dance camps working with ages ranging from 3-45. As an adult, Trisha still has the love and passion she always has for dance and working with children. Teaches at: Washougal & Ridgefield Locations (Dance) and Gresham Location (For Pre-K) |  |
